High School category, Page 1219
New A-K Valley quarterbacks face challenge of leading their offenses
Quarterback is one of the most complicated positions in football, and it takes a special type of player to bear all of the responsibilities that make an offense successful. Throughout the offseason, nine coaches from the Alle-Kiski Valley were tasked with finding a new player to fill those needs in...
Westmoreland County linemen pass ‘the eye test’ in recruiting process
Ligonier Valley senior Michael Petrof has a photo of himself standing next to Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald. And while no one is comparing Petrof with the former Penn Hills and Pitt standout, the fact Petrof (6-foot-2, 275 pounds) is taller than the best player in the NFL...
The Birdie predicts Alle-Kiski Valley football records
The opening week of high school football is right around the corner, and The Birdie is fired up after his return trip to Pittsburgh following a long vacation. “There’s nothing better than this time of year. I’m ready for football,” he said. “But man, that trip was hard on these...
The Birdie predicts records for Westmoreland County football teams
Westmoreland County’s high school football expert spent a sizzling summer day at Kennywood Park when the TribLive High School Sports Network recognized its Top 25 preseason team. The big, wooden arrow was not pointing at him for once, so he blended in. Nobody knew who he was as he scaled...
Fort Cherry pushes on after season-ending knee injury to starting QB
A lot of different factors influence where athletes line up for the Fort Cherry football team. Unfortunately for Rangers coach Jim Shiel, attrition is one of the largest influences on his team over the past two seasons. Long before Fort Cherry steps on the field for its opener Aug. 30...
Apollo-Ridge girls soccer aims for postseason victory
In just five years, the Apollo-Ridge girls soccer team has made major strides, including three straight trips to the WPIAL playoffs. Matt Ross has been the program’s only coach, and he’s expecting more success this season with nine starters returning. “We sure have made a lot of headway,” Ross said....
Record-setting running back Goodlin returns to lead Knoch
At the end of last season, Knoch’s Matt Goodlin was alone at the top of the school’s single-season rushing leaderboard. Goodlin set a standard with 1,461 yards for the 5-5 Knights. That’s saying something when one considers the fine tradition of Knoch running backs, from Russ Kroneberg to A.J. Pagano...
Leechburg/Apollo-Ridge boys soccer co-op readies for debut
History will be made Aug. 31. That’s the day the new Leechburg/Apollo-Ridge co-op boys soccer team makes its debut in a match against Ellwood City. It also will mark the first time all local high schools will have boys soccer in one form or another. That’s a far cry from...
Monessen’s Mizerak ‘consummate student-athlete,’ earns college attention
Though his junior season doesn’t start until Friday, Monessen left tackle Mark Mizerak Jr. has been getting plenty of attention from college recruiters. The 6-foot-4, 288-pound standout has other immediate goals, such as getting the Greyhounds another conference title and keeping up his 4.0 status in the classroom. “It’s good...
WPIAL position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the defensive linemen
Some years it’s at cornerback. Sometimes it’s the linebackers. This year, the largest collection of WPIAL and City League star power could be at defensive line. Westinghouse’s Dayon Hayes, Central Catholic’s A.J. Beatty and Elliot Donald and West Mifflin’s Nahki Johnson have major-college offers from across the country. Among Pennsylvania...
Trinity looking to climb back into WPIAL football playoffs
Jon Miller is embarking on his fifth season as Trinity’s football coach. Miller and the Hillers are looking for a return to the WPIAL playoffs after missing out last season. “We have a veteran team coming back, with some nice younger skill,” Miller said. “We are hoping to be much...
Thomas Jefferson focused on regaining title
New high school. New year. New rivalry. The grand opening was Aug. 18 for the newly built $95 million, 300-square-foot Thomas Jefferson High School. TJ’s first football game will take place Aug. 23 against Canon-McMillan at home. Classes begin Aug. 26. After breezing through the 2018 regular season and plowing...
New Laurel Highlands football coach Kolesar has steep hill to climb
The goal is simple for new Laurel Highlands coach Rick Kolesar. Get to the playoffs and win a game. It’s something many schools take for granted, but the school has never won a WPIAL playoff game in 10 outings, dating to 1989. Laurel Highlands began operations in 1966 after a...
Indiana building for future around young players
Most would have forgiven Brandon Overdorff if his team didn’t make much noise last year. He took over the program just before the summer with barely enough time to learn all of his players’ names, let alone implement a system into a one-win team the year before. But a reinvigorated...
Despite losing key starters, Beaver looks to keep building
Following an adjustment period, Beaver football hopes it is more acclimated to Class 4A football. The Bobcats, which moved up a classification during last summer’s PIAA realignment, finished with a respectable 7-4 record in 2018, falling in the quarterfinals to Belle Vernon. “What we’ve found is that every (Class 4A)...
New Ambridge coach Phillips wants to boost interest, rebuild program
Don Phillips knew he was in for a challenge when he accepted the head coaching job at Ambridge. But that is what excites him. Ambridge has struggled mightily over the last three seasons, with a 1-28 record. That led to Terry George stepping down and Phillips, a well-known coaching figure...
Veteran team sparks enthusiasm at Greensburg Salem
Some time ago, when Dave Keefer was an assistant football coach at Central Catholic, he received a bit of insight from WPIAL coaching legend Art Walker Sr. And though he didn’t particularly dwell on it at the time, it has stuck with him since: “There’s no substitution for experience.” Years...
Belle Vernon football team knows keys to playoff drive
Coaches and players at Belle Vernon agree. A few key factors kept the Leopards from becoming an elite team in WPIAL Class 4A the past couple of seasons. One is injuries. Belle Vernon was hit hard with them last season, but the Leopards persevered during the regular season, losing to...
McKnight moves to tailback to bolster New Castle running game
Most high school coaches would be excited to have a first-team all-conference quarterback returning behind center. Joe Cowart is no different, although the New Castle coach’s excitement is with his signal-caller moving to a new position on the field. Demetris McKnight, who started the final seven games last season at...
Montour looks to erase sting of not making playoffs in 2018
The winds of change swept through the West Hills of Pittsburgh last fall, leaving one perennial WPIAL playoff team out in the cold when the postseason arrived. The 3-7 season ended a 12-year playoff run for Montour. The Spartans finished 3-4 in the Class 4A Northwest Eight Conference, tying for...
Knoch to feature similar schemes under new head coach Mowry
Those attending Knoch football games might not be aware a coaching change was made in the offseason. The offensive and defensive schemes will stay basically the same. New coach Brandon Mowry replaced Frank Whalen, but most of the assistants were retained. Even the school’s single-season rushing record-holder, Matt Goodlin, is...
Highlands ready to compete in Northwest 8 Conference
Every week in WPIAL’s Class 4A Northwest Eight Conference is a grind, and Highlands coach Dom Girardi would have it no other way. “We’re going to go out and compete every single week, and that’s how it’s going to be,” Girardi said. As the season wore on last year, the...
After turnaround season, Blackhawk wants more
What the Blackhawk football team was able to accomplish last season was remarkable. But now the Cougars are ready to take the next step. After winning two games in 2017, Blackhawk rattled off a 10-2 record in 2018 and made an appearance in the WPIAL Class 4A semifinals, snapping a...
Plum hopes experience translates to success
The Plum football team last made the WPIAL playoffs in 2015 when it upset Penn Hills in a Quad-A first-round matchup. Mustangs coach Matt Morgan said the past three seasons out of the playoff picture, including last fall’s 2-8 campaign, were frustrating for him and his players, but with several...
Gateway seeks return to championship form
The Gateway football team won a combined 26 of 29 games the past two seasons. Two years ago, the Gators captured the WPIAL Class 5A title and finished as PIAA runner-up. In an attempt to repeat that feat last fall, Gateway, as the No. 1 seed, was stunned by West...
